It is an achievement Brook Lopez obviously treasures, probably grows misty-eyed about when he contemplates it. Lopez, in his ninth season with the club, has become the longest-tenured Net. The only other player to last eight full seasons with the team was Buck Williams.

“Ever? Really? That’s surprising. I knew I was up there but I figured there must have been some Net who was here at least 10 years,” Lopez said Thursday. “That’s crazy.”

OK, so maybe he hasn’t cherished it that much. Still, it’s a nice accomplishment for a guy who nearly was traded to Orlando about four times for Dwight Howard, to Oklahoma City for Reggie Jackson and heavens knows how many other places. Always, he surfaced in trade rumors.

“Haven’t heard anything in like a whole day and a half,” Lopez said jokingly.

Lopez, who would tie Chris Morris (510 games) for fourth place on the team’s career games list if he faces the Magic in Orlando Friday, said he still feels like a rookie.

But he acts like a leader, which coach Kenny Atkinson appreciates.

“I love the guy’s leadership,” Atkinson said. “We can be down 15 and he comes to every timeout with something positive to say, something to help the young guys.

“It’s weird for me because there are so many young people here. I was joking with [ex-teammate] Ryan Anderson before the Houston game. We were laughing that we’re vets and don’t feel it. We feel like we’re young guys,” Lopez said. “But we’ve got 19-, 20-, 21-year-old kids here. I have the experience, J-Lin [Jeremy Lin] has experience so the guys who have been in the league, we have to share that and be vocal and make sure they hear us.”

Lopez said he sees progress amid the 7-17 misery.

“There’s just a better feeling around here. Guys are coming in to work and we all understand our role and what we need to do,” Lopez said. “We accept responsibility and have accountability.”

Spoken like a true old-school vet.

Jeremy Lin, who missed 17 games with a hamstring injury, played one, then sat Wednesday with lower back stiffness, practiced Thursday. He and Atkinson said his availability for Orlando depends how he feels Friday, but he is officially listed as questionable.

“I felt good today so we’ll see how it responds. No guarantees right now,” Lin said. “It’s not anything serious or long-term.”

The Rockets, who matched the Nets’ four-year offer sheet, potentially worth $37 million, for Donatas Motiejunas, renounced their rights to the 7-foot Lithuanian forward Thursday, making him an unrestricted free agent. But the Nets are out of luck — they must wait one year from the date of the recent offer sheet before they can sign him, by league rules.